Popsicles
by alexcatb1975
Summary: What should two lonely Titans do on a hot summer day?


Welcome back to another installment of "My Delusional Self Really Thinks Titans is Gonna Make Rachel and Gar Endgame."

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Titans because then my favorite couples would be together and the core four would be happy 24/7.

The sun shone down on the iconic city of San Francisco, which only amplified the intense heat wave it was experiencing. The hot July weather was especially hitting Titans Tower, where the AC was broken.

The young Titans laid around the living room in an extremely humid Friday afternoon, lucky that Dick was giving them more than 30 seconds to catch a break. They couldn't get much practice in since the tower had turned into a giant oven. But that didn't matter to Dick, he had only let them rest since Gar almost passed out mid combat.

"Jason turn the fan towards me,'' Gar whined, barely recovering from the incident.

"Forget it tiger boy. It's too damn hot to share this cool breeze", Jason exclaimed, huge smirk on his lips as he had successfully bothered his teammate.

Dick walked in to the living room, glancing around at the teens lazily splayed on the couches. "Listen up, I hate to leave you in this heat but I have to go take care of some business with Batman in Gotham. I can only bring Jason along, so Rachel and Gar will have to stay here."

"In this heat?", Gar complained. "We won't make it."

"Yeah Dick", Rachel chimed in. "Can't we go with you?"

"Sorry. This mission is extremely confidential and we need somebody to look over the tower while we're gone. I can't trust Jason to do it." Dick tried explaining.

"Hey?! Whatever I'm not gonna argue. I don't need to stay in this microwave. When do we leave Dicky?" Jason was ecstatic that he was finally in the crime fighting loop.

Dick rolled his eyes. "It'll only be for the weekend. Maintenance is coming to fix the AC tomorrow morning and so is Kory. You guys can handle being alone for a night right?"

"Of course Dick, we're not five. I think we can hold the tower down until Kory gets here. Right Gar?" Rachel looked at an upside down Gar since her head was dangling from the edge of the sofa.

"Fine. I can't believe we're stuck in this heat and we don't even get to meet Batman." Gar groaned.

"Maybe next time Gar. Jason go get your stuff we're leaving." Dick glanced at his watch. "I want you downstairs in 10 minutes. Get moving."

"Alright!" Jason ran to his room to pack up some clothes and get the metallic briefcase that enclosed his vigilante attire.

Dick gave one last glance at the empath and the teenage boy. " Are you sure you guys are gonna be okay?"

"Yes. Don't worry so much we'll be alright." Rachel stood up and walked towards her mentor, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You got a half demon and a shapeshifter here. We can defend ourselves."

Dick gave her a warm smile. "Alright. There's food in the fridge, I left some money on the kitchen island, and if anything happens, anything at all, I want you to call me."

"Got it. And Gar has it too, right?" Rachel looked over at Gar who had taken Jason's seat in front of the fan with his eyes closed.

"Huh? Oh yeah Dick we'll be great." Gar opened his eyes and gave him a sweet smile.

"Okay I'll see you guys Monday morning. And please try to get some type of workout in before then." Dick would be damned if he was going to let three days go by without training. "Jason let's go! Take care of each other."

Dick left the tower. He felt at ease because he knew he could trust them. Even after that little stunt they pulled at the asylum, Dick was sure that they wouldn't set the place on fire.

"Later losers." Jason rushed out after Dick, backpack in one hand, metallic briefcase in the other.

With a loud slam of the door, Rachel and Gar were alone.

"So what do you wanna do?" Rachel asked as she skipped back to the couch and plopped down next to Gar.

"You wanna watch a movie? If Dick thinks I'm gonna train again today, he's crazy." Gar winced as he remembered the fall he took when he almost passed out.

"Okay but I have to change. I thought I could stay in jeans but my legs are suffocating. I'll be right back." Rachel ran towards her room, wanting a moment of relief from the hot temperatures.

Gar nodded before deciding to change as well. These were the times when he really missed the Ohio and Chicago weather.

They rejoined back in the living room, much better dressed for the temperature.

Gar had to take a moment to stare at Rachel. He had never seen so much of her. So this was what was hidden under her blue sweaters and high boots. He liked it.

Rachel felt him staring at her, so she decided to break the silence. "Ugh I feel like I can breathe again." She spoke too soon as sweat marks began to form on her dark blue tank top.

"Tell me about it." Gar snapped back to reality, pulling at the collar of his dark green tank top in an attempt to keep it from sticking to his chest.

"Okay so what movie do you wanna watch?" Rachel questioned as she turned on the television.

"Star Wars!" Gar called out from the kitchen, where he had gone to retrieve snacks.

Rachel rolled her eyes as she knew what his answer was going to be. "Fine but not the prequels."

"Obviously not. Put Return of the Jedi." Gar came back with two popsicles, one in each hand.

Rachel squinted at the TV in an attempt to search for the requested movie, until she found it's iconic cover. She pressed play, leaned back, and got into a more comfortable position.

"Lime or blue raspberry?" Her teammate held out the icy treats.

"Lime please." Rachel smiled before grabbing the frozen snack.

As soon as Rachel had made her choice, Gar immediately opened his popsicle and ran it across his tongue, savoring its cold sweet taste. He groaned exaggeratedly.

"Get a room." Rachel laughed as she peeled the white wrapper off of her popsicle.

"It's cause you haven't tried it. You wouldn't understand." Gar defended himself, so wrapped up in his popsicle that he hadn't even noticed the movie had started.

"It's a popsicle, I've had a million of these. They're good, but you're just overly dramatic." Rachel rolled her eyes as she licked the side of her green icy treat. She closed her eyes and savored the chilly sensation that traveled down her throat. "Okay, you're right. It's amazing."

"I told you. It's the weather. It makes it 100 times better." Gar smirked, satisfied that he was able to prove her wrong.

"I'll never disagree with you again." Rachel smiled before turning her head to the TV, letting her eyes follow the intergalactic tale.

The film had started minutes ago, but Gar had not paid attention once. He was too busy staring at the girl next to him, in those clothes, licking up and down the icy green treat. His teenage hormones mixed with his animal ones, making it harder to breathe.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked her uncomfortable friend, as she noticed he was constantly shifting in his seat.

"Huh? Oh yeah," Gar sputtered out quickly, gulping. He quickly turned to face the television, which was a terrible idea since it proudly displayed the infamous Princess Leia and the gold bikini.

Gar couldn't take it anymore. Between his crush enjoying her treat to the enslaved sexy royal that was responsible for his sexual awakening, Gar was gonna burst. He had to get out of there before he did something he regretted.

"I gotta go, uh, practice. Dick will get mad at me if I don't." Gar squeezed those words out of his throat before slamming the blue stained popsicle stick down on the glass table and standing up abruptly.

"Oh okay I'll go with you." Rachel grabbed the remote to turn off the television.

"No, no. You should stay and enjoy the movie. I think Dick would agree that I need more practice than you do."

"But…"

Before Rachel could finish her sentence, Gar was out of the room. She shrugged and turned her gaze to the screen. Realization hit as she realized what had gotten her friend so flustered. Of course it was Princess Leia and the gold bikini! A mischievous grin appeared on her face as a thought entered her mind.

…

Gar was splashing his face with freezing cold water as he tried to shake away some thoughts that should definitely not be there. But then again, what's the harm in putting the moves on Rachel? He could sense that she had liked him. There had always been electricity whenever they touched, since the first time they held hands running through the woods. And there would be nobody home for hours! Who knows what they could do in that time…

Gar slammed his hands against the bathroom counter and headed straight to the practice room. Maybe the combination of intense heat and combat training would get Rachel out of his mind.

Once he got to the practice room, he grabbed a black blindfold and a wooden staff. He tied the blindfold around his head in order to restrict his view then felt around for the weapon. His other senses immediately heightened to compensate for his loss of vision.

He stood in a basic combat stance as he began his battle with his invisible enemy.

Gar grunted with every change in his moves, creating his own pace as Dick wasn't there to breathe down his neck.

Through flips and staff thrusts, Gar was slowly forgetting about that girl, sitting on the couch with green stained lips.

Until he smelled the familiar scent of lavender and vanilla getting dangerously close to him.

"Where's my strong Gar Skywalker to rescue me?" Rachel spoke dramatically, attempting to keep from bursting out into laughter.

Gar froze and slowly took the blindfold off. There she stood, with her short hair forced into two tiny buns at the sides of her head. His heart caught in his throat as he desperately attempted to not lose his cool.

"Very funny Rae. Hate to break it to you but that's not how she wears it in that scene." Gar laughed nervously.

"I just thought it was more iconic this way." Rachel laughed as she got this priceless reaction from him. She slowly stalked towards him, stopping in her tracks as she came face to face with him.

"Now I'm waiting for my Gar Skywalker to save me. Or Gar Solo? Man did Leia have a lot of guys after her. Including her own brother!" Rachel was getting out of character. "Anyways, who do you want to be?" Rachel asked with big blue eyes staring up at her teammate.

"Uh…I don't…." Gar struggled to get some words, any words, out.

"Wait, Leia is an independent woman who doesn't need some man saving her." Rachel grinned as she snapped her fingers, sending a wooden staff and a black blindfold flying across the room and into her hands. "She can save herself."

Rachel quickly put on the blindfold and took a couple steps back.

Gar picked up on her little theater show and decided to play along. "Alright Princess, if that's the way you want it." Gar placed himself in a fighting stance.

"Bring it", Rachel motion, staff and body ready.

The room became silent as Gar focused on his hearing, searching and listening for his opponents heartbeat.

Rachel rolled her eyes under the blindfold and lunged herself towards him, swinging her staff.

Gar snapped into action as he blocked her wooden weapon.

Gar swept his staff under her feet, and Rachel expertly jumped to avoid meeting the ground.

The shapeshifter took a couple steps back as he sensed his teammate getting ready to deliver another blow.

Grunts and wood meeting against wood was the only thing that could be heard. Neither teen wanted to give in.

The heat was starting to get to both of them, but it only seemed to spur the young Titans even more.

Rachel spun the staff over her head to create an impact with the top of her opponent, but Gar immediately ducked.

Gar went for the empath's neck, but Rachel countered with a quick backflip. This game had just gotten a lot more intense.

Rachel gave a sigh of frustration as she had clearly underestimated him.

"Giving up now princess?" Gar laughed.

Rachel couldn't admit defeat. She wouldn't. Suddenly a light bulb went off in her head. "I'm just frustrated because your moves frustrate me," Rachel snapped, setting her plan in motion.

"My moves? I'm great in combat." Gar scoffed, slightly offended.

"Yeah but anybody can fight with a stick." Rachel laughed. "Here let me help you."

A blindfolded Rachel sensed Gar reaching up to take his blindfold off, so she grabbed his hands to stop him.

"Leave it on. We're not done yet." Rachel smiled, feeling his uneasiness.

"I'm trusting you Rae…" Gar spoke shakily.

Rachel set her wooden staff down on the ground and stood close to Gar. She felt around his torso, placing one hand on his abdomen and the other on his lower back.

"You're too loose. Tighten up." Rachel commanded as she pressed on his stomach.

Gar took a deep breath and clenched his abs.

"There you go. That way you'll have a firmer stance and better control." Rachel spoke softly, intentionally breathing into his neck.

Gar closed his eyes and whined softly. "So are we gonna fight or what?" His voice cracked mid sentence.

"Oh we're definitely gonna fight, I just didn't want to have an unfair advantage." Rachel smiled as she levitated the wooden weapon into her hand and swept it at Gar's feet.

Gar sensed her move at the last second and attempted to jump to avoid the hit, but accidentally tripped over the wooden staff, taking Rachel down with him.

They fell to the ground, shapeshifter on top of the empath.

"Ow!" Rachel winced.

"Looks like your plan didn't work." Gar chuckled.

"You're on the ground aren't you? I got you right where I want you."

"I'm assuming this wasn't supposed to end with me on top of you. Unless…"

"In your dreams."

The two laid in complete silence, still blindfolded. Their heavy breathing intermingling, sweaty limbs stuck to one another. Their hearts beat in unison. Neither of them dared to move.

Gar couldn't take it anymore. He was gonna make a move on her. He'll be damned if this moment passed and he didn't do anything about it.

Rachel on the other hand, wanted to break this palpable tension, but couldn't find the words to say to the boy that had stolen her heart. All she could do now was enjoy his comfortable, warm weight on her.

Gar slowly leaned in. He hoped that his blind state wouldn't create the most awkward kiss in the history of kisses, but he had to go for it or else he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Rachel's training and abilities kicked in and she realized what was about to happen. She lifted her head slightly to meet him halfway.

Their foreheads and noses touched.

They felt each other's breath on their lips as they were centimeters apart.

This small space was the barrier between being friends, and becoming something more.

The gap became smaller, their lips ghosting over the others. Just a little more…

"Hey guys!" Kory burst into the practice room, cheerful as ever. She then sensed the atmosphere and looked at the pair with warm, almost tearful eyes.

"Kory?" The couple said in unison, removing their blindfolds but staying in the same position.

"Am I interrupting something?" Kory couldn't even begin to hide the huge smirk creeping up her face.

"No, nothing at all." Rachel said quickly, slightly pushing Gar's chest.

Gar got the hint and stood up abruptly, holding his hand out for Rachel to take. "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow morning?"

"Well I decided I couldn't leave you guys alone too long, so I came as soon as I could. I can leave though." Kory said with eyebrows raised.

"No, no. We were just practicing." Gar clarified, not wanting the alien princess to get any ideas. "Actually, I was just about to go take a shower. See ya."

Gar ran out of the practice room, desperate to leave that awkward atmosphere.

"Yeah I should probably go take a shower too. This tower is burning up and we just had an intense workout." Rachel cringed at her choice words, before running back to her room.

"Yeah I bet you guys did." Kory laughed.

Her heart almost burst from happiness. After all, they did look cute together.

**A Few Reminders**:

1.) Don't be shy! Leave some feedback please.

2.) Check out my other story Interconnected if you haven't already. I'm probably not gonna continue it since I'm not a creative person and I don't know what else to write about. But if you have any ideas on what to add to the story let me know.

3.) I take requests so if you have a story idea let me know.

4.) Drink water. :)


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